Ball-bearing.



J. BIBRSCHENK.

BALL BEARING.

APPLICATION nun 001227, 1905,

1,023,614. Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

WITNESSES W W l TTOHNEV.

UNITED STATES gi iTENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH BIERSCHENK, OF IVR-Y PORT, FRANCE.

BALL-BEA RING.

Specification 01. Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

Application filed October 27, 190 5. Serial-No. 284,614.-

eentric members or rings and to means and p the manner of inserting andretainingthc balls in the same.

The principal objects of my invention are first, to provide a ballbearing formed of two concentric members or rings. at their contiguousfaces with raceways varying in depth and width and adapted to receiveand retain balls introduced into the same; second, to provide the innerface of the outer member with inclined portions terminating in theraceway, whereof the inclined portions enable the introduction of theballs into the raceways of the members; and third, to

rovide a ball-bearing with a retainer for the balls arranged tofacilitate introducing the same between the rings and for holding theballs apart therein.

The nature and scope of my present in vention will be more fullyunderstood from the following description taken in connec tion with theaccompanying drawings form ing art hereof, in which- Figure 1, is a viewillustrating in crosssection downwardly inclined portions terminating ina centrally arranged raceway in the inner face of the outer member, aball partly engaging raceways of both members and a retainer or ringpartly surrounding the ball. Fig. 2, is a view, reduced, illustratingpartly in side elevation and partly in section, the ball bearing and theretainer for the balls interposed between the rings forming the same;and Fig. 3, is a detail view, illustrating perspectively, the retainerand balls projecting therefrom.

Referring to the drawings,d represents the balls or spherical bodiespreferably formed of steel, which are interposed between the annularmembers or rings a and a, forming in conjunction with the balls :1ball-bearing A. The balls a, are'held in position between the rings aand c solely by engaging raceways b, arranged centrally in contiguousfaces of the same, which race ways are preferably shallow to offer onlya portion of their surface, as bearings for the balls 0. The depth ofthe raceways b, is chosen in a certain relation to the'elasticity of thematerial of the rings sand 0, and balls a, to permit of the introductionof theballs a, between the members a and c, by springing the samesuccessively sidewise into the raceways b, of the rings a and c.

The halls a, during the introduction are held in the raceway b, of theinner member, by a retainer 6, remaining in engagement with the ballsafter the same have been inserted between the rings. The raised portions9 and g, inclosing the raceways 12, form when the members occupy theirproper position with respect to each other an annu- 'lar space, which isless in width than the diameter'of the balls, so that the balls can onlybe inserted into the raceways b, by the elastic deformation of bothmembers. How- 'ever, as the balls (1, are already placed in the racewayb, of the inner member the balls a, have only to pass over one of theraised portions of the outer member, which may be inclined toward theraceway b- Thus the balls when resting in me raceway of the inner member0 are only slightly greater in diameter than the distance from thedeepest portion of the raceway b, of the inner member to the edges ofthe raceway b, of the outer member. Moreover, as the balls aresuccessively, sprung into the raceways the necessary elastic deformationof both members to spring the balls a, into the-raceway of the outermember is comparatively slight; and therefore, the members may becomparatively thick in cross-section.

\Vhen the ballsra, are held in position in the raceway b, of the innermember by a retaiiier of a type which is as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thehearing A, may be assembled,

by first springing two diametric oppositely arranged halls a, resting inthe raceway of the inner member by elastic deformation of both membersinto the raceway of the outer member, the rings during this operationbeing at right angles to each other and then swinging the inner memberupon the introduced balls, as fulcral points sidewise into a concentricposition, with respect to the outer member, .thus springing by elasticdeformation of both members the balls of the inner inember at each sideof the fnlcrul balls, successively into the raceway of the outer member.The bearing may also be assembled by first inserting the lowermost ballof those of the inner member c into the raceway of the outer member 0,and then swinging the inner member 0 upon the inserted ball, as asupport into a concentric position with respect to the outer member afrom the introduction of the balls which abut against each other, andfrom which the temporary retainer is removed after assembling thebearing. The retainer 6, is provided with radially arranged openings orchambers e, which after the balls have been inserted are contracted atone end by forming an annular projection or rib e, which in conjunctionwith the contracted portion 0 of the chamber e, prevents the exit of theballs from their respective chambers, as will be readily understoodfrom 1. The chamber a, formed in the retainer e, afiords a free-movementof the balls therein and the width in cross-section of the retainer issuch as to permit of the introduction of the balls first into the deeperraceway of .the inner ring, and then into the shallow race of the outerring, without being brought into contact with the rings. The raceways b,of the members a and c, are wider in cross-section than required for theballs a, whichcontact only with the Fig. 1, of the rawings. 4

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what Iclaim as new Letters Patent is t' portion indicated by d, d, in

adjacent the grooves being slightly less t an;the diameter ofthe balls,balls occupyin the said raceway, and a ball-holding annu us having a"radial depth less than the space between said adjacent rin faces andprovided with pockets into whic the balls are placed prior to theassembling of the bearing parts and having opposite openings throughwhich the balls PIOJBCt to engage the grooves, the outer walls of theopenings having an inwardly directed ball-retaining flange. In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto set my signature in the ing witnesses. a v

JOSEPH BIERSCHENK.

Witnesses: V Y Hanson C. Coxn, RICHARD Monmo.

presence oftwo subscrib-

